Are your eyes watering excessively? It can be irritating and even interfere with your vision. Tears are vital for good eyesight, keeping your eyes healthy and protected. They shield your eyes from dirt and debris and keep the eye's surface clean. Many people experience watery eyes, and it's especially common among older individuals. Read on to discover why your eyes might be watering, what you can do about it, and the crucial role of the tear duct.
Why are your eyes watering?
Excessive tearing or watery eyes can feel irritated, sore, and lead to poor vision. Unfortunately, this is a common issue for many people, especially the elderly, but thankfully, it's often no cause for concern. But why does it happen?
When your eyes water, it's typically your body's way of reacting to protect the eye or restore balance to its surface, either by producing too much tear fluid or if the fluid cannot drain naturally through the tear ducts in the eye. This can occur in one eye or both. Discover the 9 most common reasons why your eyes water:
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Dry eyes: It may sound paradoxical, but one of the most common causes of watery eyes is actually dry eyes. When the eye becomes dry, it sends signals to the tear glands to produce more tears.
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Environmental irritation: The eye is very sensitive and reacts quickly to irritation from its surroundings. Wind, cold, dust, smoke, and light can stimulate the eye to produce more tears to protect it. Tears act as a kind of 'cleansing agent' that tries to relieve irritation or remove foreign bodies. For example, a cold winter day can cause eyes to water due to the combination of cold and dry air irritating the eye's mucous membrane. The same can happen in windy weather, where the eye tries to protect itself from small particles that can blow into the eye. Use a pair of non-prescription glasses or sunglasses to protect your eyes from wind, dust, and strong light.
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Age-related changes: Older people often experience watery eyes. This is due to several reasons, but one of the most common is reduced elasticity in the eyelids. With age, the eyelids can lose their firmness and no longer sit as close to the eye's surface. This can lead to tears not being distributed correctly, and excess tears running over the edge of the eye.
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Allergies: Another common reason for watery eyes is allergies. When you are exposed to allergens such as pollen, dust mites, or pet dander, your immune system reacts by releasing histamines. Histamines can cause itching, swelling, and increased tear production. Tear production is part of the body's defense mechanism, trying to flush allergens away from the eye's surface.
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Infections: Conjunctivitis (pink eye), blepharitis (eyelid inflammation), keratitis (corneal inflammation), or a stye (hordeolum) can also cause your eyes to water. With infections, there are often other symptoms such as redness, swelling, and itching, and in some cases, tears may be mixed with mucus.
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Blocked tear ducts: Tear ducts drain excess tears from the eye to the nasal cavity. If the tear ducts are blocked, tears cannot drain and will instead accumulate and run over the edge of the eye. This problem is often seen in older people, where tear ducts can narrow or become less effective with age. Be aware that blocked tear ducts can also occur due to infection or swelling. If you experience this, you should contact an ophthalmologist for help to open the eye's ducts again.
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Eyelid problems: Your eyelids have a very important function in protecting your eyes from dirt and dust. If problems occur with the eyelids – for example, if they turn outwards (ectropion) or inwards (entropion) – it can disrupt the function of tears. This can lead to tears not draining correctly and instead running over the edge of the eye.
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Excessive screen time and eye strain: Too much time in front of a screen can also cause your eyes to water. When we stare at a screen, we blink less, which can lead to dry and irritated eyes. In response, the eye starts to produce more tears, which can result in too much water in the eyes.
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Reflex tearing: Sometimes, eyes water as a reflex to pain or irritation. For example, if smoke, strong light, or a sharp object gets close to the eye, it will trigger a reflex that causes the tear glands to produce extra tears to protect the eye. The same thing happens when you chop onions. Onions release a sulfur-containing gas that irritates the eye and stimulates the tear glands to produce tears to wash away the irritation.
Why do older people's eyes water more?
We observe that older people often experience watery eyes. This is due to several reasons related to the aging process:
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Reduced eyelid elasticity: With age, eyelids can lose their firmness, meaning they don't sit as close to the eye's surface. This prevents tear fluid from distributing correctly and causes it to run over the edge of the eye.
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Blocked tear ducts: The tear ducts, which drain excess tears from the eyes, can become blocked or narrow with age. This makes it difficult for tears to drain properly, causing them to run over the edge of the eye.
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Increased sensitivity to environmental factors: Older people can become more sensitive to wind, cold, and light, which can stimulate the eyes to produce more tears than usual.
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Dry eyes: Strangely enough, dry eyes, which often affect older people due to reduced tear production, can cause the eyes to react by overproducing tears.
- Other health conditions: Conditions such as diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, or certain neurological disorders can also cause watery eyes. The same applies to the use of certain types of medication, which can affect tear production or the eye's mucous membrane.
What can you do about watery eyes?
If your eyes are watering, the first step is to identify the cause. Here, you can benefit from considering the previously mentioned most common reasons for watery eyes. We also recommend that you have your eyes examined by an optician or ophthalmologist, so the cause of the watery eyes can be diagnosed, and you can receive the correct treatment. Here are some good tips you can keep in mind:
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Avoid environmental irritation: If you are often exposed to dust, smoke, and strong light, try to avoid it, as it can irritate your eyes and thus cause excessive fluid production. Protect your eyes if you work in dusty environments with a pair of non-prescription glasses, and if you are in bright light with a pair of sunglasses.
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Use artificial eye drops: Watery eyes, as mentioned earlier, can be caused by dry eyes. When the eye becomes too dry, it produces more tears than usual. Artificial eye drops can help keep the eye moist and limit the extra tear production that occurs with dry eyes. Moisturizing or lubricating eye drops can be purchased at the pharmacy without a prescription.
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Keep eyelids clean: Eyelid inflammation, also known as blepharitis, can cause watery eyes. Keep your eyes and eyelids clean with a mild eye cleanser or a clean, damp cloth.
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Consult an ophthalmologist: If your eyes continue to water, an ophthalmologist can help find the cause – for example, it could be a blocked tear duct, infection, or allergies. Treatment may include eye drops, medication, minor procedures, or other solutions.
- Avoid excessive screen time: Long periods in front of a screen can lead to eye strain, tired and dry eyes, and can cause the eye to start producing more tears. Remember to take regular breaks and blink more to maintain moisture in your eyes. Read more about tired eyes and learn why it occurs.
What is a tear duct?
The tear duct is an important part of the eye's function, helping to drain tears from the eye to the nose. When tears need to leave the surface of the eye, they do so through small canals that start at the inner corner of the eyelid and lead excess tears away from the eye's surface and into the nasal cavity, where they either evaporate or are absorbed. This process ensures that the eyes stay moist and protected from irritation. When the tear ducts are blocked, it can lead to problems such as watery eyes or infections, because the tears cannot drain properly.
When should you seek help?
Although it is often harmless for eyes to water, in some cases it can be a sign of a condition that requires treatment. If the problem is persistent, if you experience pain or vision disturbances, or if there are signs of infection, you should consult an ophthalmologist. The ophthalmologist can examine your eyes and find the cause of the problem, so you can receive the right treatment and prevent your eyes from watering.
